Yarn piecing apparatus for spinning frame

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for piecing-up broken yarn ends in a spinning frame of the type including fiber drafting means, twisting spindles, and a vertically reciprocable ring rail. The apparatus comprises a carriage mounted on the spinning frame for movement therealong and carrying a supply of auxiliary yarn. The carriage has a portion movable up and down with the ring rail and carrying means for operatively engaging the free end of the auxiliary yarn with a ring traveller and also with a bobbin on the spindle for winding and twisting the yarn. The carriage also carries means for moving an intermediate portion of said yarn into engagement with a broken yarn end or roving extending from the front drafting rolls into a flute, so that when the auxiliary yarn is severed adjacent the roving it will untwist and attach itself thereto to effect the piecing-up operation. In the preferred embodiment the carriage has means for automatically withdrawing a predetermined length of auxiliary yarn and storing it for subsequent release into a narrow passage where it is held under tension just prior to a piecing-up operation.

United States Patent [72] inventors Yukio Urano Nisbinomiya-shl; Sbin-ichi Hamabata, Yamato-Koriyamashi, both of, Japan [21] Appl. No. 756,961 [221 Filed Sept. 3, 1968 [45] Patented July 13, 1971 [73] Assignee Kanegafuchi Boseki Kabushiki Kaisha Tokyo-to, Japan [32] Priority Sept. 1, 1967; Feb. 1, 1968; Apr. 1, 1968; Apr. 1, 1968; Apr. 1, 1968; Apr. 1, 1968; Apr. 1, [331 J???" 42/56261; 43/6976; 43/26303; 43/26304:

[54] YARN PIECING APPARATUS FOR SPINNIN FRAME 11 Claims, 49 Drawing Figs. [52] [1.8. CI. 57/34, 57/156 [51] int. Cl D0111 15/00 [50} Field of Search 57/34, 52,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,373,551 3/1968 Guillono et al. 57/34 3,445,997 5/1969 Prat 57/34 Primary Examiner- Stanley N. Gilreath Altorney-Edwin E Greigg ABSTRACT: This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for piecing-up broken yarn ends in a spinning frame of the type including fiber drafting means, twisting spindles, and a vertically reciprocable ring rail.

The apparatus comprises a carriage mounted on the spinning frame for movement therealong and carrying a supply of auxiliary yarn. The carriage has a portion movable up and down with the ring rail and carrying means for operatively engaging the free end of the auxiliary yarn with a ring traveller and also with a bobbin on the spindle for winding and twisting the yarn. The carriage also carries means for moving an intermediate portion of said yarn into engagement with a broken yarn end or roving extending from the front drafting rolls into a flute, so that when the auxiliary yarn is severed adjacent the roving it will untwist and attach itself thereto to effect the piecing-up operation. In the preferred embodiment the carriage has means for automatically withdrawing a predetermined length of auxiliary yarn and storing it for subsequent release into a narrow passage where it is held under tension just prior to a piecing-up operation.

PATENlt'nauuslsn I 3.591.951

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2. The method of piecing-up broken yarn ends as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in step (f), the auxiliary yarn is supplied to the narrow space by an air jet.
 3. The method of piecing-up broken yarns ends as claimed in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary yarn is engaged with the bobbin near the top level of reciprocating movement of the ring rail while yarn is being wound in coplike form.
 4. In a piecing-up apparatus for a spinning frame of the type including fiber drafting means, a twisting spindle, and a vertically reciprocable ring rail; which includes: a source of auxiliary yarn, means effecting a threading engagement of said auxiliary yarn with a traveller on a ring surrounding said spindle and thereafter operatively engaging a free end of said auxiliary yarn with a bobbin on said spindle; means for braking said auxiliary yarn between its source and said spindle whereby said auxiliary yarn becomes taut and twisted between the braking means and the spindle; means for moving an intermediate length of the twisted portion of auxiliary yarn into engagement with a portion of a roving extending from the drafting means; and means for severing said auxiliary yarn between said braking means and said drafting means whereby said severed portion untwists and becomes united with said roving; the improvement comprising: means forming a narrow passage; means for accumulating a relatively long length of auxiliary yarn under tension within said narrow passage prior to engagement of the free end with the bobbin; means for moving a portion of said accumulated length of auxiliary yarn laterally of said narrow passage, and means for releasably holding said portion while under tension and while said free end is being operatively engaged with the bobbin, the subsequent winding of said yarn on said bobbin action to pull the yarn from said releasable holding means thereby suddenly reducing the tension on said portion and permitting it to be rapidly wound on said bobbin without breakage.
 5. In a piecing-up apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said means for accumulating auxiliary yarn comprises split pulley means.
 6. In a piecing-up apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said split pulley means serves also as said braking means.
 7. In a piecing-up apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said split pulley surrounds the upper end of said narrow passage, and wherein the means for accumulating a length of auxiliary yarn also comprises air jetting means so located that air is jetted into said narrow passage and acts to draw yarn from said split pulley into said passage when the two portions of said split pulley are separated.
 8. In a piecing-up apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said split pulley means includes an auxiliary yarn winding tapered portion which cooperates with said air jetting means whereby yarn accumulated on said tapered portion is drawn into said narrow passage when the two portions of said split pulley are separated.
 9. In a piecing-up apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said apparatus includes a first switch means which determines the time of starting the piecing-up operation, said first switch means comprising a metal plate which reciprocates vertically with the ring rail, a member secured to said metal plate by means normally compelling said member and plate to move as a unit but permitting relative vertical movement therebetween when said member is stopped in its upward movement, a switch fixed on the piecing apparatus, and switch-actuating means on said member, the vertical path of movement of said member being fixed relative to said switch, and the switch being actuated by said switch-actuating means at the upper limit of said path and near the top level of the ring reciprocating movement.
 10. In a piecing-up apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said apparatus includes a second switch means, said first switch mans being effective only after said second switch means detects a predetermined level of the ring rail relative to the spindle, said predetermined level being a top level of said reciprocating movement of the ring rail at which yarn begins to be wound into regular coplike form.
 11. In a piecing-up apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the drafting means includes front drafting rolls along and between which the roving traverses during the drafting operation, and wherein said means for moving a twisted portion of auxiliary yarn toward the roving includes a guide means having a guiding portion for the auxiliary yarn, said guide means having at its outer end converging edges for engaging and spreading said roving portion and a narrow slit connecting said edges and said guiding portion for said auxiliary yarn, said guide means being resiliently mounted for yielding lateral movement in the direction of traverse of the roving along the rolls of the drafting means. 